‘Bobby lived his life by this motto: win or lose, on the booze’

The drinks flow at the opening of Moore’s pub in Stratford, East London in 1976. Trying to keep pace with the new landlord are, from left, Rodney Marsh, Kenny Lynch, the comedian, Frank Lampard Sr, Alan Ball, Best and Malcolm Macdonald

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The drinks flow at the opening of Moore’s pub in Stratford, East London in 1976. Trying to keep pace with the new landlord are, from left, Rodney Marsh, Kenny Lynch, the comedian, Frank Lampard Sr, Alan Ball, Best and Malcolm MacdonaldPA Archive

He did well to get away with it so long. It was not until the day of his 36th
birthday in April 1977 that Bobby Moore was arrested, for the first time,
for drink-driving. After some enthusiastic celebrations, Moore drove his
Daimler Sovereign into a bollard near his home in Chigwell, cutting his head
as he veered off the road. Fortunately, nine-year-old Dean [his son], who
was also in the car, escaped unharmed.

Police sergeant Bryan Hicks told Stratford magistrates that Moore was more
than three times the legal limit. Properly p***ed, in other words. Moore was
banned from driving